Questions/Answers
Question 1
Please provide a brief summary of the initiative including the problems/challenges it addressed and the solutions that the initiative introduced (300 words maximum)
Recognizing the continued prevalence of poverty in Bhutan with 12% of the population living under poverty in 2012 in spite of rapid economic development, the Royal Government accorded highest priority in addressing poverty during the 11th Five Year Plan (2013-2018).
The Rural Economy Advancement Programme was piloted in the 10th Five Year Plan (2008-2013) and covered 10 poorest villages. Having learnt the benefits of REAP from pilot REAP project,, the GNH Commission decided to upscale the targeted programme and continue in the Eleventh FYP (2013-2018) as REAP Phase II. While the broad-based development programmes contributed to alleviate poverty, the REAP seeks to target the extreme poverty that may not be adequately addressed through broad-based development programmes.
The following strategies were adopted:
1. REAP carried out its interventions at the village level and the poorest villages were selected using objective criteria, namely, multi-dimensional poverty index (MPI).
2. Based on the dimension of standard of living, health, education, community vitality, financial security and food security, the communities and government officials identified a set of interventions to address deprivations in each of the six dimensions.
3. To promote participation of the poor in planning and implementation of their own development plans, the communitiesl prepared respective village development plans (VDPs) in accordance to Village Participatory Planning Guidelines (VPPG), which outlined the procedures and requirements.
a. What are the overall objectives of the initiative?
Please describe the overall objectives of the initiative (200 words maximum)
The main objectives of the meeting were
1. To alleviate extreme poverty in Bhutan;
2. To provide sustainable livelihood to the extreme poor, especially in the areas of standard of living, health, education, community vitality, financial security and food security;
3. To promote community participation, especially the poor, in planning and implementation of their own development
b. How does the initiative fit within the selected category?
Please describe how the initiative is linked to the criteria of the category (200 words maximum)
1.Reaching the poorest and most vulnerable through inclusive services and partnerships;
The program focuses on reaching the poorest who still need support in addition to our broad based social development plans.
2. Making institutions inclusive and ensuring participation in decision-making;
Communities are involved in identifying issues and developing interventions as per the village participatory planning guidelines developed under this programme.
Communities are also involved in developing their intervention.
3. Promoting gender responsive public services to achieve the SDGs
Under the programme some interventions address gender issues. For instance:
1. Water supply , smokeless stoves, introduction of biogas, and machinery are provided to address hardship and time, and health issues faced by women.
2. Some of the cooperatives established under the programme are also headed by women.
3. The participatory planning guidelines also have a requirement to where women have to make up at-least on third of the village development committee. And facilitation teams are also encouraged to have women facilitators for women's groups.
Question 2
The initiative should improve people’s lives, notably by enhancing the contribution of public services to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDGs
a. Please explain how the initiative improves the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
The initiative aligns to the 2030 agenda in the following manner:
1. It takes services to the most marginalized and vulnerable communities directly contributing to the principle of leaving no one behind.
2. It includes the communities themselves in identifying issues, and then planning and developing interventions.
3. The interventions are multidimensional in nature so the initiative contributes to various SDGs.
4. The program has also partnered with NGOs in the implementation of the interventions to improve delivery.
Question 3
The initiative must impact positively a group or groups of the population (i.e. children, women, elderly, people with disability, etc) and address a significant issue of public service delivery within the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain how the initiative has addressed a significant issue related to the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
1. The programme covered communities living in the 75 poorest villages in the country. These communities had remained poor despite massive investments by the government in social programmes. This initiative improved the targeting aspect of our poverty intervention programmes. it also enhanced the participation of the poorest communities in the identification of the issues faced by them and also engaged them in development of the interventions.
b. Please explain how the initiative has impacted positively a group or groups of the population within the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
2. It addressed their deprivations on the dimension of standard of living, health, education, community vitality, financial security and food security faced by the communities. Thresholds for set for the dimensions below which the communities were considered deprived. The thresholds were also used as targets to be achieved. The thresholds were based on accepted national and international standards. It was designed to enhance the living standards by improving access to improved sanitation and water supply, income generation opportunities through skills development programs. In addition the food and nutrition needs of the communities were addressed through agriculture, livestock, dairy, and poultry development initiatives.
Question 4
The initiative must present an innovative idea, a distinctively new approach, or a unique policy or approach implemented in order to realize the SDGs in the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain in which way the initiative is innovative in the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
This is the first time that a targeted poverty reduction program based on an multidimensional concept has been initiated in the country. Further it is also the first time that plans have been developed at village level. It is also the first time we have partnered with NGOs to implement the poverty interventions.
Question 4b
b. Please describe if the innovation is original or if it is an adaptation from other contexts (If it is known)? (200 words maximum)
This is the first time that a targeted poverty reduction program based on an multidimensional concept has been initiated in the country. Further it is also the first time that plans have been developed at village level. It is also the first time we have partnered with NGOs to implement the poverty interventions.
Question 4c
c. What resources (i.e. financial, human , material or other resources, etc) were used to implement the initiative? (200 words maximum)
1. Human resources used: Staff from the Commission to develop the concept, framework, and strategy.
Hired enumerators to conduct the survey.
Engaged Officials form Local Governments, and communities to refine and revise the framework, strategy, and also in the identification of issues
and development of the village development plans.
2. A total of about USD 2 million from the Government of India was used to finance implementation of the activities.
Question 5
The initiative should be adaptable to other contexts (e.g. other cities, countries or regions). There may already be evidence that it has inspired similar innovations in other public-sector institutions within a given country, region or at the global level.
a. Has the initiative been transferred to other contexts?
Yes
Given the success of the initiative, we have moved onto addressing poverty at a household level based on a multi-dimensional poverty concept.
Question 6
The initiative should be able to be sustained over a significant period of time.
a. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable (covering the social, economic and environmental aspects) (300 words maximum)
The interventions developed under the progamme, particularly with respect to income generation have been developed with the objective of ensuring households have sustainable sources of income. Households have been provided with skills development and resources to start an initiative. Some have also formed cooperatives to earn income as groups.
b. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable in terms of durability in time (300 words maximum)
The interventions developed under the progamme, particularly with respect to income generation have been developed with the objective of ensuring households have sustainable sources of income. Households have been provided with skills development and resources to start an initiative. Some have also formed cooperatives to earn income as groups.
Question 7
The initiative should have gone through a formal evaluation, showing some evidence of impact on improving people’s lives.
a. Has the initiative been formally evaluated?
Yes
If yes, please describe how the initiative was evaluated? (200 words maximum)
The pilot phase was evaluated. The evaluation was carried out by a consulting firm using DAC criteria of; impact, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, and relevance.A scientific inquiry method was developed and used to carry out the evaluation, while also drawing on the guidelines provided in the ToR as well as the UNDP monitoring and evaluation policy to collect credible, reliable, and useful data. The Data collection method in particular used a mixed method to allow for triangulation of information from variety of sources. Evaluation design matrix built around the key questions given in the ToR was used to guide the overall methodology including the development
of questionnaires.
b. Please describe the outcome of the evaluation of the impact of the initiative (200 words maximum)
The following were the broad finding of the evaluation report:
Relevance:The program is designed and appropriately implemented strengthening the technical and institutional capacities for poverty alleviation in the poorest villages in Bhutan. The relevance and suitability of the interventions to the beneficiaries needs were confirmed during the process of this evaluation especially in the field.
Effectiveness:The program’s effectiveness is rated as highly satisfactory. The purpose of the program was satisfactorily achieved. Outstanding progress was made against planned outcomes and life in the poorest villages changed for better. The planned outputs, and activities, effectively contributed to the achievement of the program’s original goals and targets
Efficiency: The outputs and over 11 major thematic activities carried out were technically adequate and implemented within the agreed time frame in the annual work plans or amended in consultation with the beneficiaries and LGs. The implementation efficiency is considered= satisfactory as planned activities were implemented at reasonable cost.
Suatainablity: The program design and implementation approach provided a sustainable mechanism for applying capacity building, diversified agricultural production, and development of enterprises for income generation as tools for poverty alleviation.
c. Please describe the indicators that were used (200 words maximum)
Indicators related to :
1. Level of income before and after program.
2.Consumption and Expenditure of Household
3.Savings before and after interventions
4. Improvement in access to basic education, health and other livelihood sources improved as a result of the interventions
5.How has the interventions increased the capacity of beneficiaries to sustain outcomes?
6. How equitable was the distribution of benefits among the households within the village?
7.How has the interventions promoted poverty environment linkages
8.How has it empowered beneficiaries to take decisions to switch to environmental friendly systems
9. Have households beeb involved in environmental decision making process to address natural resources and poverty issue
10. Have environmental and livelihood issues been integrated into national, sectoral and local plans?
Question 8
The initiative must demonstrate that it has engaged various actors such as from other institutions, civil society, or the private sector, when possible.
a. The 2030 Development Agenda puts emphasis on collaboration, engagement, coordination, partnerships, and inclusion. Please describe what stakeholders were engaged in designing, implementing and evaluating the initiative. Please also highlight their roles and contributions (300 words maximum)
1. The development of the strategy and framework involved representatives from other relevant government agencies from the central and local levels.
2. Communities were involved in identifying the issues and developing interventions for poverty reduction.
3. NGOs and local governments were involved in implementing the programme.
Question 9
a. Please describe the key lessons learned, and any view you have on how to further improve the initiative (200 words maximum)
These were some of the lessons found during the evaluation:
1. Stakeholder involvement and government ownership and civil society partnerships are important tools for poverty alleviation efforts especially when dealing with natural resources as they facilitate participation, better understanding of issues, and cooperation
2.Institutional strengthening and capacity building are critical for achievement of benefits through partnership and stakeholder involvement
3.Micro-enterprise development as a tool for poverty alleviation becomes even more potent when it is linked to environment, agriculture, and livestock. It enhances employment and income generating opportunities for rural poor
4.Saving schemes with revolving micro credit is a sustainable financing mechanism for poor people;